Centrifuge



R. ETZKORN July 4, 19330 CENTRIFUGE Filed March 1, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l R. ETZKORN July 4, 1933.

CENTRIFUGE Filed March 1, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 4, E933 UNTTED STATES unease RUDOLIE ETZKORN, F OBERBRUCH, REGIERUNGSBEZIRK AACHEN, GERMANY, ASE

SIGNOR TO AMERICAN GLANZSTOFF CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. COR- PORATION 01E DELAWARE CMTTRIFUGE Application filed March 1, 1932, Serial No.

This invention relates to a process of and apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk and the like, and more particularly to the manufacture of artificial silk by the pot spinning process.

In the manufacture of artificial silk and the like by the pot spinning process, a suitable cellulosic solution is spun into a coagulating or hardening medium and then led to a spinning pot by means of which the desired twist is given to the thread. It has been found that in the manufacture of artificial silk by this process a considerable amount of power is required to rotate the spinning pots at the high speed necessary to impart the desired and usually necessary twist to the thread.

The amount of power required to rotate the spinning pots has been found to be about equal to the third power of the rotating speed ac of the spinning pots and although some of the energy consumption is due to the usual bearing friction the greater part thereof is due to the friction of the air in and about the spinning pot.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a suitable process for the manufacture of artificial silk products by the pot spinning mechanism which will reduce the excessive energy consumption now necessary.

Another object of this invention is to provide a suitable mechanism which will substantially eliminate any air friction due to the rotation of the spinning pot.

Another object of this invention is to provide means whereby the manufacture of artificial silk by the pot spinning process may be performed in a vacuum.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a suitable housing for the spinning pot so arranged and constructed that a substantial vacuum may be created in said housing whereby the air friction in the spinning pot may be greatly reduced.

A further object of this invention is to provide a seal between the reciprocating spinning tube and the spinning pot casing which will prevent the ingress of air into said casing.

These and other objects of this invention 596,040, and in Germany March 12, 1931.

will become more apparent by a study of the following description, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View of a modified form of the invention; I

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views showing modified forms of construction which may be used to form a suitable seal between theil motor and the shaft of the spinning pot; an

Figure 6 is a graph showing the power consumption at varying amounts of vacuum.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a spinning pot 10 driven by a motor 11 through the shaft 12.; Both the motor and spinning pot are housed in a suitable casing 13 which is divided into two chambers by means of the partition 14. A suitable opening 15 is provided in the partition to accommodate the shaft 12. The motor rests on the usual resilient supports 16 located on the bottom of the casing. A cover 17 is provided for the top of the casing and rests on a gasket 18, located in a seat formed at the top of the easing. The cover is also provided with a suitable opening in which is positioned a packing means 19 having a shoulder 20 formed thereon. Located between this shoulder and the cover is a rubber gasket 21 which forms a suitable seal between the packing means and the shoulder. As shown, the packing means is provided with a centrally located bore 22 in which is located the spinning tube 23 which is secured to the arm 24 of suitable mechanism which serves to impart reciprocatory motion thereto. A vacuum line 25 is provided in the spinning pot chamber so that a vacuum may be readily created therein.

Referring now more particularly to Fig ure 2 there is shown a casing 13 in which is located the spinning pot 10'. In this form, however, the cover 17 is arched or'domed, the edge of said cover resting upon a gasket 26 located in the seat formed at the top of the casing by means of the upstanding flange 27. The cover is provided with a central opening located in the top of the dome or arched portion in which is positioned a gland packing means provided adjacent its upper end with a cross arm or shoulder 29. As in the modification shown in Figure 1 a rubber gasket 30 is positioned between this cross arm and the top of the cover to insure a positive seal therebetween. The opening 31 in the cover is of such a size as to permit the packing means to be shifted so that the thread guide may be shifted with respect to the spinning pot when desired. The packing 'means may be formed with a labryinth like inner surface 32 to form a more secure seal between the thread guide and the packing means. During the spinning operation the vacuum created in the housing forces the cover tightly against the gasket 26 and the shoulder formed on the packing means against the gasket 30 thus not requiring the use of other fastening means to hold the same in place.

The spinning tube 33 comprises two concentric tubes, the outer one 34 constituting a protecting tube and the inner one 35 a thread guide tube. The thread guide tube is provided with the usual supports 36. and is provided at its upper end with a funnel like arrangement 37 which serves to positively direct the thread into said thread guide tube. Reciprocatory motion is imparted to the spinning tube by means of the reciprocable arm 38. To insure a firm connection between the spinning tube and the arm 38 the protecting tube is formed with an enlarged end 39 which rests on the reciprocable arm and is there secured in place in the opening formed therein by means of a nut or other securing means 40.

As may be seen from an inspection of Figure 2, the opening in the thread guide tube 35 affords the only way in which air can enter the housing. The usual diameter of these openings in the ordinary spinning mechanism is about 5 mm. However, it has been found that openings below 2 mm. in diameter may be used very successfully without damaging the thread. It was therefore found possible to create a vacuum inside the housing without employing any special apparatus and to permit the use of air pumps of comparatively low capacity.

Many variations in the constructionof the sealing means between the thread guide and the cover may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention. For example the type of packing means shown in Figure 1 may be used in the modification shown in Figure 2. The oscillating tube may be of the ordinary type such as is disclosed in Figure l. The use of a smooth packing means such as is disclosed in Figure 1, how ever, would necessitate a comparatively close seat between the packing means and the openmg in the cover.

The spinning pot motor may be placedv outside the spinning pot housing or located directly therebelow. In this type of spinning mechanism it is necessary to provide a suitable sealing means between the spinning pot housing and the motor. Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5 there are shown three modified forms of sealing means. In Figure 3 the bottom of the housing 41 is provided with an opening 42 for the passage of the spinning spindle. A corrugated plate or diaphragm 43' is secured to the bottom of the housing by means of bolts 47 This diaphragm is provided 'with an opening 44 defined by the depending rim 45 in which is located a packing gland 46. The packing gland fits snugly around the spinning spindle and is held in place by a suitable ring 48. To insure a substantially air tight seal between the diaphragm and the bottom of the housing there may be located therebetween a gasket 49.

In Figure 4 the housing 41 is likewise provided with an opening 42 for the passage of the spinning spindle. A flanged member 50 is secured to the bottom of the housing by means of bolts 51 and has a portion extending into the opening in the housing. A corrugated plate or diaphragm 52 is located in said opening and is provided with an upstanding marginal rim which fits snugly against that portion of the flanged member extending into said opening. The diaphragm is held in place against movement by means of a ring 53. The diaphragm is also provided with a central opening 54 of sufficient size to receive the neck 55 of the motor. Suitable packing means 56 is secured between the depending rim of the dia hragm and the neck of the motor by a ring 5%.

. In Figure 5 the housing 41" is provided with the usual opening 42". A flanged member 58 is located between the bottom of the housing and the neck 55 of the motor, the depending portion of the flange fitting snugly around said neck. A coiled spring 59 is positioned between the flange and the motor and is so arranged as to hold the flange firmly against the bottom of the housing.

With the arrangements described above the power consumption may be reduced-to a considerable extent even thougha high speed of rotation is required to impart the necessary twist to the freshly spun filaments. Moreover the various forms of construction are designed to take care of any vibration of the shaft at high speeds without shaking the centrifuge box. If desired. the use of the packing means around the thread guide tube (F igures 1 and 2) may be dispensed with by enlarging the opening formed in the cover and by using the corrugated plate or diaphragm constructions shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Such types of construction permit of adjustment. Moreover by the use of a diaphragm used for the individual electric drives.

the same will follow the reciprocatory movements of the thread guide tube. The saving in power consumption is clearly demonstrated by the graph shown in Figure 6. In this graph the energy consumption figures are shown on the ordinate from the 0 point upwards whereas the figures from the 0 point on the ordinate downward show the amoi ilrlit e scale of the under pressure is shown on the abscissa starting from atmospheric pressure in the 0 point to vacuum. The curves show the result of experimentswiththe above described constructions at difierent speeds of 10,000, 12,000 and 15,000 revolutions per minute. It is to be noted that the effective energy consumption figures when the old pots were used were comparatively higher, even up to 60%. The graphs show how the very considerable air friction rises directly with decreasing air pressure particularly at an absolute vacuum. The graphs show, for example, that the energy requirements even at a speed of 15,000 R. P. M. and at a vacuum at about 70 cm of mercury are not larger than the energy requirements necessary to obtain a speed of 10,000 R. P. M. atmospheric pressure.

It will be appreciated that by the spinning of thread under reduced pressure the ener y consumption is greatly decreased and re atively simple and weakly constructed, driving mechanisms may be used to obtain the necessary speeds which were not possible in the pot spinning process when the spinning was accomplished at atmospheric pressure.

Moreover since it was found that the diameter of the hole in the thread guide tube may be reduced to from 1 to 3 mm without damaging thread that the desired vacuum in the spinning pot chamber could he created at a very low cost. Tests have shown that the water ring pumps may be used to great advantage because they not only produce a satisfactory Vacuum but are so constructed as to resist the influence of the chemicals used in the manufacture of artificial silk. Such pumps are also capable of removing any of the liquids which may accumulate in the spinning pot chamber without necessitating the use of expensive filtering equipment.

To avoid an eventual drying of the thread or the formation of crystal salts in the spinning tube or other parts of the spinning apparatus, it is often desirable to allow quantities of the water or spinning bath solution to drip into the spinning funnel either continuously or intermittently or to provide some means for moistening the thread.

By the use of the above described mechanism the spinning cake is of higher quality due partially to the absence of air currents.

Moreover the crossing of the thread in the spinning cake may be more readily effected since the air currents which usually impair the formation of the spinning cake, are absent.

Although this invention has been described with reference to the improvements shown it will be readily appreciated that numerous changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore to .be understood that constructions shown may be modified within the range of known equivalents without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: Y

1; An apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk comprising a housing, a partition dividing the same into a. plurality of chambers, a motor in one of said chambers, a rotatable spinning pot located in the other of said chambers, a shaft passing through said partition and connecting the motor and the spinning pot, a cover for said housing, a gasket associated with the top of said housing upon which the cover rests, said covering having a central opening formed therein, a hollow packing gland secured in said opening, a shoulder formed on the upper end of said packing gland, a gasket located between said shoulder and cover, a thread guide to snugly fit within said packing gland and extending into said spinning pot, means secured to the upper end of said thread guide to impart reciprocatory motion thereto. whereby during the spinning operation thread may be laid in a cake formed in said spinning pot, and a vacuum line associated.

.tial vacuum may be produced therein.

3. In a pot spinning apparatus, a spinning pot, a'housing for said spinning pot, a gasket located adjacent the upper end of said housing, a .cover for said housing resting on said gasket, said cover having an opening formed therein, sealing means associated with said opening, and thread guide means passing through said sealing means into said spinning pot.

4. A device for the manufacture of artificial thread by the centrifuge process comprising a housing, a spinning pot located therein, a dome shaped cover for said housing having a centrally positioned opening formed therein, a packing gland fitting loosely within said opening and having a shoulder formed adjacent the upper end thereof, a gasket located between said shoulder and said cover to prevent the ingress of air into said housing, thread guide means passing through said packing means to the interior of said pot.

5. A device for the manufacture of artificial thread and the like by the centrifuge process comprising a housing, a spinning pot located therein, a domed shaped cover for ,said housing and having an opening formed therein, packing means fitting loosely in said opening, said packing means being provided with a shoulder adjacent the upper end thereof, sealing means located between said shoulder and cover to prevent the ingress of air into said housing, thread guide means passing through said packing means, comprising two concentrically arranged tubes.

6. A device for the manufacture of artificial thread and the like comprising a housing, a spinning pot located within said housing, a cover for said housing, sealing means located between said cover and said housing to prevent the ingress of air thereinto, said cover being provided with an opening, a hollow packing gland fitting loosely within said opening, and having a shoulder formed adj acent the upper end thereof, sealing means located between said shoulder and said cover,

thread guide means passing through said hollow packing glands and extending into said spinning pot, said thread guide means comprising two concentrically arranged tubes, the outer of said tubes fitting snugly against the interior of said hollow packing gland.

7. A device for the manufacture of artificial thread and the like comprising a housing, a spinning pot located within said housing, a cover for said housing, sealing means located between said cover and said housing to prevent the ingress of air thereinto, said cover being provided with an opening, a labyrinth hollow packing gland fitting loosely within said opening, and having a shoulder formed adjacent the upper'end thereof, sealing means located between said shoulder and said cover, thread guide means passing through said labyrinth hollow packing glands and extending into said spinning pot, said thread guide means comprising two concentrically arranged tubes, the outer of said tubes fitting snugly against the interior of said labyrinth hollow packing gland.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

RUDOLF ETZKORN. 

